Restaurants
2 min read
By Pedro Carreira
Updated 25 June 2026
Fresh produce markets generate enormous organic waste volumes.
Melbourne Markets in Epping processes hundreds of tonnes weekly. Individual stallholders generate produce waste as the dominant stream, with smaller volumes of packaging and pallets.
Market management coordinates bulk waste contracts. Organic waste composting diverts the majority from landfill.
Stallholder waste costs are typically included in tenancy fees.
Key Numbers
- Dominant stream: Produce / organic waste
- Landfill levy avoided (metro 2025–26): $169.79/tonne
- FOGO statewide target: by 2030
What You Need to Know
A fresh produce market is an organics machine: at scale — Melbourne Markets in Epping processes hundreds of tonnes weekly — produce waste is the dominant stream, with packaging and pallets a distant second. The cost lever is diverting that organic majority away from landfill, where every tonne otherwise attracts the $169.79/tonne metro levy.
- Produce waste — the dominant stream; best routed to organics composting rather than general bins.
- Packaging — smaller volumes suited to commingled recycling.
- Pallets — recovered or returned rather than dumped.
- Stallholder costs — typically bundled into tenancy fees, which can mask inefficiency in the underlying contract.
Composting the organic majority aligns with Victoria's FOGO (Food Organics Garden Organics) Policy, heading statewide by 2030. As an independent broker, Bundle Waste audits the bulk market waste contract for free and compares a network of providers on organics diversion and pricing, paid only from the savings — up to 30%.
Related Resources
Related Questions
What waste does a restaurant generate and how should it be managed?+
Melbourne restaurants generate: food waste (40–60%), cardboard (15–25%), glass (10–15%), recycling (5–10%), cooking oil (3–5%), general waste (10–20%). A 100-cover restaurant generates 500–800kg/week. Food waste composting can divert up to 60% from landfill and save $100–300/month.
What waste management do bakeries need?+
Bakeries generate: ingredient packaging (20–30%), food waste (25–35%), cardboard (15–20%), plastic wrap (10–15%), general waste (10–15%). Mid-size bakery: $200–500/month. Food waste composting saves vs landfill. Used cooking oil collection typically free.
How should commercial bakeries with retail manage waste?+
Dual streams: Production — flour bags, ingredients, food waste, oil. Retail — customer packaging, display waste. Separate systems prevent cross-contamination. Donate unsold product to OzHarvest (free, tax deductible). Monthly cost: $300–700.
How can restaurants reduce food waste?+
Strategies: track waste by type, menu engineering for whole ingredients, portion control, FIFO rotation, specials for near-expiry items, donate surplus to OzHarvest (free, tax deductible), staff meals. Reducing waste 20% saves $500–2,000/month in food costs.
How should I dispose of cooking oil?+
Used cooking oil: collected by licensed recyclers, typically free for 200L+ quantities; some pay $0.10–0.30/litre. Store in sealed containers in bunded area. Never pour down drains. Recycled oil becomes biodiesel or animal feed.
See exactly what you are overpaying
Bundle Waste reviews your current waste invoices and benchmarks them against a network of Melbourne providers — free, with a written report in 5 business days. You will see what you pay now, where the hidden charges are, and the rate we can negotiate. You only pay from the savings we find: no savings, no fee.
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Updated 25 June 2026
